Infrastructure Australia released its Regional Strengths and Infrastructure Gaps report late last week, identifying challenges and opportunities in regional Australia.

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Social advocates were reportedly unsurprised by the findings - which many had previously pointed out - and said social inequities were likely to be an election issue.

TasCOSS chief executive Adrienne Picone said housing was beyond crisis point, with Tasmanians "squeezed in many different directions".

"Our incredibly high house prices mean that people that would ordinarily be able to buy a house are being pushed into the rental market, and then that squeezes those that would normally be renting into the social housing waiting list," she said.

According to the state government's latest housing dashboard report, Tasmanians waited an average of 71.5 weeks to get a roof over their heads.

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"They could be trying to live in cars, they're couch surfing, they're living in just unsuitable and untenable and unsafe conditions just to be able to have somewhere to lay their head at night," she said.

Particularly vulnerable were older women, said Sue Leitch, chief executive of Council on the Ageing Tasmania. She said older women were often widowed, had lived on a single income, worked part-time or casually, and were unlikely to have superannuation.

"They're sort of the hidden homeless," she said.

Saint Vincent de Paul acting chief executive Les Baxter said while housing was an important issue to address, it was not the full panacea.

"It's about providing some of the other underpinning services that are needed," he said.

"It's really about understanding what the complete needs are of the people and why they're in that situation and how we can make sure that it's a more permanent solution to an issue, not just a knee-jerk reaction."

Dr Baxter said it was important that governments and NGOs work together.

"We're actually at the coalface, so we often understand a lot of the issues that it would be difficult for a government agency to understand from where they are," he said.

The report also projected increased pressure on the state's healthcare system, with the population of Tasmanians aged over 85 set to quadruple, and those over 65 to double by 2056.

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It also found socially disadvantaged groups were overrepresented in disease rates and avoidable deaths.

Ms Leitch said it was counterintuitive to tell people to be healthy amid a rise in living costs, limited access to GPs and specialists and an increase in private health insurance premiums and medication co-payments.

Also commenting on the report, disability consultant Jane Wardlaw said many people with disabilities lived in poverty, a precursor of poor health.

"There are huge opportunities for changing the way we go about supporting people with disabilities to help them have equal access to healthcare, and understanding their rights and understanding what services are available for them," she said.

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Federal Labor candidate for Bass Ross Hart said a Labor government would establish the Housing Australia Future Fund, which would build 30,000 social and affordable homes throughout Australia. He did not comment on how many would be built in Tasmania.

Bass Liberal MHR Bridget Archer was contacted but did not comment.

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